# Happy Winter Solstice **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 22, 2024, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002 "2024-12-22T03:08:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/1 "2024-12-22T03:08:49Z")
Here in the northern hemisphere, the days will begin to get longer and eventually warmer. Ok, it’s also the start of winter, which seems a little counterintuitive, but still a good reason to celebrate that it will someday be over. So happy day to all who do. ❄ 🌞 [![](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2024/12/20241220170837_Sheetal-Kumari-fi.jpg?impolicy=website&width=770&height=431) ](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2024/12/20241220170837_Sheetal-Kumari-fi.jpg?impolicy=website&width=770&height=431) ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/2 "2024-12-22T03:30:03Z")
Its all uphill from here! ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/3 "2024-12-22T03:34:27Z")
It’s a Saturnalia miracle! We should have a celebration of some kind. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/4 "2024-12-22T04:11:19Z")
It’s also my birthday today. I love cold winter weather and long dark nights, so I guess it’s appropriate that I was born on the darkest day of the year. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/5 "2024-12-22T04:22:49Z")
Merry Solstice to all! ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/6 "2024-12-22T04:37:21Z")
The Sun was very low in the sky this afternoon around 4 pm. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/7 "2024-12-22T04:41:00Z")
This time of year, the sun seems to just hang on the horizon at sunrise and sunset. It makes driving difficult in places. But it’s the solstice, and the days now get longer. Have a happy one, everybody! ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/8 "2024-12-22T04:45:53Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > This time of year, the sun seems to just hang on the horizon at sunrise and sunset. It makes driving difficult in places. Yesterday I was driving west around 4:00 and the sun was intense. I ended up driving on backroads just to get some trees in the way. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/9 "2024-12-22T06:37:02Z")
The winter solstice is pretty special to me. On an evening of the winter solstice, now 23 years ago, I formally proposed to my wife. 🙂 Well, we had been living together for years at that point, but it made her a bit more comfortable, and her parents _much_ happier. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/10 "2024-12-22T07:33:00Z")
I had a high school friend that spent 3-1/2 years in Alaska and she talked about how long and dark winter days were. Of course in summer it was the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/11 "2024-12-22T07:45:20Z")
Well, here in southern Alberta, I can get in 18 holes after dinner, in the middle of summer. Of course, at this time of year, it’s best to wear a fluorescent vest with reflective tape for a trip to the corner store, even at 5:00 pm. If only others did. I nearly pranged a pedestrian in a black coat tonight. He was so hard to see in the darkness. Folks, wear something bright when you’re out and about. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/12 "2024-12-22T08:14:02Z")
Aw, shit, then … hippo burpday to you! ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/13 "2024-12-22T12:19:23Z")
The front of our house faces west, plus or minus a few degrees, and it’s interesting to track the sunset and how it shines on the walls thru the year. Currently, I need to pull the blinds down around 3:30 because I get sun in the face when I’m in my recliner, making reading or crocheting or napping a major pain. Come summer, I pull the blinds so prints on the opposite wall don’t get faded from the sun’s rays. We’ve lived here 20 years and I still get a kick out if this. Yeah, I’m easily amused… ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/14 "2024-12-22T13:04:47Z")
I’m about to go out to buy chocolate, marzipan, chocolate-covered peanuts and other high caloric winter foods to celebrate the winter solstice (by its later name of Christmas), the only problem is that is going to be about 30° celsius (86 **°F** ) when we consume it… Cultural mandates know nothing about hemispheres. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/15 "2024-12-22T13:31:16Z")
Happy Yule! > **[Yule: How the Vikings Celebrated the Winter Holiday | HISTORY](https://www.history.com/news/viking-yule-holiday-winter)** > > The pagan holiday of Yule was held during the darkest days of winter and marked the start of the return of light. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/16 "2024-12-22T13:44:08Z")
I is a wimp. I _wanted_ to go shoot sunrise under the bridge this morning but after a long drive/_very_ late morning arrival/little sleep yesterday & 14°/5° wind chill I decided not to last night. I even woke up around 6, which is when I would have gotten up to go but stuck to my plan of staying in & rolled over. Tomorrow won’t be any better, weatherwise but then I have to come home & work so I can’t stay long. Tues there won’t be a visible sunrise according to the forecast ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/17 "2024-12-22T15:07:59Z")
I’ve an FtGhenge in my house. A 4" circle of light appears on a wall at the end of the entrance hallway around midday. It’s sunlight coming thru the peephole on the front door. I was going to take a pic of it at noon yesterday but forgot. Got a pic of it later but it had moved onto another wall. I’ll have to wait a year to figure out where to place my altar stone. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/18 "2024-12-22T15:12:06Z")
It just started getting light here about half an hour ago, around quarter to nine. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/19 "2024-12-22T15:45:06Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Happy Yule! From that article: > Jackson Crawford, a scholar of Norse mythology, notes that Hakon the Good was a Christian king, however, he allowed his subjects to remain pagan. He only insisted that everyone celebrate a holiday in December—Christmas or Yule—and **stipulated that every free man consume a minimum amount of alcohol (approximately four gallons over the course of three nights, according to Crawford) in observance of the holiday**. Oh my. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002/20 "2024-12-22T17:04:43Z")
My late aunt’s husband was stationed in Alaska (I think Fairbanks). They were going to retire there and he was going to start some kind of trucking company with son-in-law (that marriage didn’t last long enough) but my aunt begged to leave the area instead; the long nights were seriously messing with her head. They had to carry the poodle outside to do its business. It moved so slowly in the cold they were afraid she would freeze before relief came. New this fall: **Tundra Poodle**! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-winter-solstice/1012002.md?page=2)